Download Preparing for Your Surgery - St. Mary`s General Hospital

April 2013
Please read this booklet and complete all forms. Bring this
booklet and completed forms with you to your Pre-Surgical
Clinic appointment and on the day of your surgery.
Preparing for Your Surgery
Patient Name: ________________________________
Surgeon: _____________________________________
 Day Surgery
 Extended Hours Unit
 Surgery requires hospital stay
Date and Time of Surgery: _______________________
Report to 2nd floor Registration Desk at: ________.
(A volunteer in the Lobby can direct you to the
Registration desk.)
Pre-Surgical Clinic
 Yes
 No
Date: ________________ Time: ______
 Yes
 No
Blood work
 Yes
 No
EKG
 Yes
 No
Anesthetist Consult
Additional Instructions from Surgeon:
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Table of Contents
Special Instructions …………………………………
2
Map ………………………….………………………..
2
Privacy ………………………………………………..
3
For Patients who DO NOT need to
visit the Pre-Surgical Clinic ……….…………………
4
For Patients visiting the Pre-Surgical Clinic .….……
4
What to expect ………………………………..
5
What to bring with you ……………………….
5
Preparing for your Surgery
Smoking and Alcohol ………………………….
6
Eating and Drinking before Surgery …...……
6
Jewelry, Makeup, Piercings & Valuables …..
7
Medications …………………………...……….
7
After Your Surgery
Pain Control ………….………………………..
9
Exercises to do after surgery ……...….……..
10
For Patients going home from Day Surgery ………..
12
For Patients Admitted to Hospital ……………………
13
Recovering at Home …………………………………..
13
Day of Surgery - Checklist for all Patients …………
14
Page 1
Special Instructions
Please let a member of your health care team know if you:
Have a living will or an advance directive OR
Have prepared a legal document naming someone to
speak on your behalf should you be unable to do so
For patients who do not speak or understand English:
Please bring someone with you to hospital that can
interpret for you. This person should stay with you until
you are finished being admitted.
We can help you find someone to interpret for you if you
let us know before the day of your surgery.
Map to St. Mary’s General Hospital:
911 Queen’s Blvd.,
Kitchener, ON
N2M 1B2
(519) 744-3311
www.smgh.ca
Page 2
The most important member of
your Health care team is YOU.
Patients and families who play an active role in their care
tend to have the best health outcomes. The best way you
can play an active role is to ask questions. Make sure that
you understand as much as you can about the surgery you
will have. Staff are more than willing to give you the
information you need.
This booklet will help you plan for your upcoming surgery.
Privacy
During your preoperative registration you will receive
information regarding privacy legislation that outlines how we
collect, use, disclose, retain and protect your personal health
information. More detailed booklets are available in each
area of the hospital if you would like more information.
If you are staying overnight, you will be given a privacy
pamphlet with a four-digit number. You need to give this
number to any family member that you wish staff to speak
with about your condition. We recommend that you choose
one family member to be the contact person for you. Our
staff will not release information over the phone, unless the
caller can provide this number.
Page 3
For Patients who do NOT need to
visit the Pre-Surgical Clinic:
If your surgeon wants you to have blood work or tests, you
will need to have these done at a LifeLabs® lab. Please call
1-877-849-3637 to book your test. Or book online at:
www.lifelabs.com .
Tests and blood work should be done between 7 and 28
days before the date of your surgery. Please tell the lab
the name of the hospital and the date of your surgery.
If you live outside of the Kitchener-Waterloo area, please
have the lab fax the blood test results to 519-749-6888.
A nurse may call you at home. The nurse will review your
health history and give you more information about your
surgery. Be sure to ask any questions that you have at that
time.
For Patients visiting the Pre-Surgical
Clinic:
Your surgeon’s office will tell you if you need to visit the
Pre-Surgical Clinic. (It will be checked “Yes” on the front of
this booklet.)
You will need to call and book a date and time for your
clinic visit if your surgeon’s office has not done this for
you.
Clinic visits should take place 3 to 28 days before
surgery. Call Central Bookings at (519) 749-6990 to
book your visit. They are open Monday to Friday, between
9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Page 4
On the day of your visit, report to the Pre-Surgical Clinic on
the first floor. A volunteer in the main lobby can help direct
you to the Clinic.
You should eat, drink, and take your medicines as usual
on the day of your Clinic visit.
Expect to spend between 1 to 3 hours at the clinic.
Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes. Wear socks
instead of pantyhose.
Do not wear body lotion, perfume or cologne.
What can you expect during your visit to the
Pre-Surgical Clinic?
You may need to have blood tests and an EKG done.
You will visit with a nurse who will tell you what to expect
while in the hospital.
You may visit with an anesthetist and other specialists.
You may have nasal and rectal swabs taken.
What to bring with you to the Pre-Surgical
Clinic:
Completed Admission Record (fill out at home)
Completed Pre-Anesthetic Patient Questionnaire (fill
out at home)
Health Card
Meds Check List (from your Pharmacist) if you have had
one within the last 3 months.
All medicines in their original containers. This includes
all of the prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal
products that you take regularly.
Page 5
Preparing for your Surgery
Smoking and Alcohol
Do not smoke or drink alcohol for at least 24 hours before
your surgery.
Eating and Drinking Before Surgery
Please read carefully. It’s important that you understand
these directions. Eating or drinking other than as directed
may result in surgery being cancelled.
For all surgeries – You may have a healthy snack at
bedtime. No solid food after midnight the evening
before surgery.
Research shows that drinking certain fluids before surgery
can help reduce or prevent nausea after surgery.
If your surgery is in the MORNING (Before Noon):
o You may drink water, cranberry or apple juice
overnight.
o At 5:00 a.m. you should drink 500 mL (2 cups) of
cranberry or apple juice. Do not drink anything more
after 5:00 a.m.
If your surgery is at 12:00 Noon or later:
o You may drink water, cranberry or apple juice
overnight.
o At 5:00 a.m. you should drink 500 mL (2 cups) of
cranberry or apple juice.
o At 8:00 a.m. you should drink another 500 mL (2
cups) of cranberry or apple juice. Do not drink
anything more after 8:00 a.m.
Page 6
Jewelry, Makeup, Piercings & Valuables
Please remove all jewelry and piercings before your
surgery. This includes all body ornaments, religious or
cultural items, barbells, captive bead rings, tongue rings,
plastic piercings and piercings below the skin. Plastic
spacers are not allowed.
If you are unable to remove your piercings or jewelry, you
must go to a jeweler and have them removed before your
surgery. Your surgery will be cancelled if you do not
remove them.
Please remove all nail polish and make-up prior to
surgery. Gel nails with clear polish are okay.
Please leave jewelry, money, valuables, and credit cards
at home. We will place your name on all your belongings
including denture cups and hearing aid containers.
Please wear your glasses, not contact lenses.
Please wear your hearing aid(s) on the day of surgery.
Medication
The surgeon and/or the anesthetist will review all of
your home medicines before your surgery.
Bring your Meds Check list with you on the morning of
your surgery (if you have had one within the last 3
months).
Bring all of your medicines in their original containers on
the morning of your surgery. This includes all of the
prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin and herbal
products that you take each day.
Page 7
If you are diabetic:
o DO NOT take your diabetic medicines on the
morning of your surgery, unless your surgeon
tells you to. Bring your insulin or diabetic pills
with you to the hospital.
DO NOT take your diuretic (“water” or “fluid”) pill(s), on the
morning of surgery.
Stop taking:
o Herbal products (e.g. Glucosamine, vitamin E, garlic,
fish oil) 1 week before surgery.
o Anti-inflammatory medicines (Aleve, ibuprofen, Advil or
Motrin) for 1 week before surgery. Tylenol
(acetaminophen) products and Celebrex are okay to
take up until surgery.
If you are taking Aspirin, Coumadin (warfarin), Pradax,
Plavix or other blood thinners please ask your surgeon
if you need to stop these before surgery.
You should take the following medications with a sip of
water the morning of surgery:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Medications you need to stop before your surgery:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Note: If you have any question, please contact your
surgeon’s office or call the Pre-Surgical Clinic at:
(519) 749-6907.
Page 8
After Your Surgery
Pain Control
Using pain medicine around the clock will help you to
recover faster. As you get better, you can begin to go
longer between doses of medicine if your pain is
controlled. Let your surgeon or nurse know if you feel your
pain is not controlled well.
You will be asked to rate your pain on a scale between 010.
Pain medicine can be given many different ways. You
may be given pain medicine by needle, pill, or
suppository. Some patients will have medicine delivered
by a machine through a tube into a vein (IV) or an
epidural. Some patients get a nerve block during surgery
that continues to block pain after surgery. Your surgeon or
anesthetist will choose the medicine and approach that is
best for you.
Page 9
Exercises to do after your Surgery
Deep Breathing and Coughing
Deep breathing helps to re-expand your lungs after surgery.
This can help to prevent breathing problems like pneumonia.
Try to do these exercises 4 or 5 times every hour, while you
are awake. You can do these less often as you become
more active.
Place your hands on your abdomen. Allow your
abdomen to expand under your hands as you breathe
in deeply through your nose.
If you have an incision in your abdomen, support it
with your hands or use a pillow.
Hold the breath for 1 or 2 seconds.
Breathe out completely through your mouth as if
gently blowing out a candle.
Coughing helps remove excess mucous from the
lungs. If you have excess mucous, you should give
one strong cough as you breathe out after each deep
breath.
Page 10
Leg Exercises
It’s important to keep the blood flowing in your legs after
surgery. Leg exercises can help prevent blood clots from
forming.
Do leg exercises 4 or 5 times every 30 minutes, while you
are in bed.
Here are some you can try:
Extend your legs until they are lying flat out on the
bed.
Wiggle your toes.
Bend your foot upwards and back at the ankle. Then
point your toes, bending your foot at the ankle down
towards the end of the bed. Repeat this several times
with both feet.
Circle your foot at the ankles to the right and to the
left. Repeat this several times with both feet.
Page 11
For Patients going home from Day
Surgery
You will need to arrange for a responsible adult (i.e.
a friend or family member) to drive you home after
your surgery AND to stay with you overnight.
Plan for your driver to pick you up 2-4 hours after your
surgery time. There is a phone at the bedside that you
can use to call for your ride as you get closer to the
time when you will go home.
You will not be able to leave until your driver reports
to the nursing station. Your surgery will be cancelled if
these arrangements have not been made.
If you are sent home later in the evening:
There are local drugstores that are open until
midnight. Your nurse can help you find one of these
locations, so you can fill your prescription.
If your health care team decides that you need to stay longer
to recover, you may be kept in hospital overnight. You may
be sent home as early as 6:00 a.m. the next day.
Before going home, your nurse will:
Assess your condition and make sure you are safe to
go home.
Review how to care for yourself at home.
You may experience some pain and/or nausea after
you go home. This can be treated with medicine. Ask
your surgeon or nurse if you have questions about
this.
Page 12
For Patients Admitted to Hospital
You will be cared for in hospital until you are well enough to
go home. Your health care team will review your progress
each day and let you know which day you will be going
home.
The nurse will review each day how to care for your self at
home.
You may experience some pain or nausea after you go
home. You may be given a prescription for pain medicine
that will help you control your discomfort. Ask your surgeon
or nurse if you have any questions about this.
Someone must be available to pick you up by 9:00 a.m. on
the day you are going home.
Recovering at Home
Your recovery period will continue at home. Please consider
the following:
Arrange for family and child care needs before you go
home.
You may have lifting restrictions. This may change
what you are able to do to care for yourself.
You will need extra rest at home.
It is not unusual to be sent home with stitches, staples
or drains (tubes) in place. Arrangements will be made
to have them removed after you go home.
For more information visit:
http://www.smgh.ca/care-services-support/library/
Click on the
logo.
Page 13
Day of Surgery: Checklist for All Patients
Are you ready?
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Completed Admission Record. (Fill out at home)
Completed Pre-Anesthetic Record. (Fill out at home)
Health Card
WSIB number (if applicable).
Supplementary Insurance Group and Policy Numbers
Receipt for cosmetic surgery (if applicable).
All your medicines in their original containers. This
includes any over the counter drugs and herbal products
that you take on a regular basis.
Recent Meds Check list from your Pharmacist (if
applicable)
Your CPAP or BiPap machine (if applicable)
Please wear your hearing aid(s) on the day of surgery.
Day Surgery Patient?
o The name and number of the person who will drive
you home: ________________________________
o The name and number of your contact person:
_____________________________________
Wear loose fitting, two piece clothing, socks and flat
shoes.
Make sure all jewelry, including body piercings, is
removed.
Make sure you are scent-free – no body lotion, cologne,
or perfume.
All valuables are left at home.
Notify your surgeon before surgery if you develop a cold
or an infection.
Shower or bathe the evening before OR the morning of
your surgery.
Page 14